James Skinner

As Executive Chairman of Walgreens Boots Alliance and CEO of McDonald's, James Skinner is a leading authority on business success. His companies sit at the forefront of their respective markets, with McDonalds leading the way for international fast food restaurants. From China to America, the United Kingdom to Australia, each country boasts their own unique menu, a key aspect of Mcdonald's charm. As a business speaker, he offers corporate audiences an incomparable insight into profitability, organisation and successful strategies.

After dropping out from college, James held numerous positions at McDonalds. Starting in their US division, he worked as their Director of Field Operations, Market Manager, Regional Vice President, U.S. Senior Vice President and Zone Manager. Additional responsibilities include being Chief Operating Officer, managing restaurants across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. In 2004, he was promoted to CEO of McDonalds. James' natural eye for business drove him to reignite the company's customer strategies, business disciplines and close global alignment, topics which he now discusses as a speaker. An event featuring James is guaranteed to resonate with corporate audiences, who take away essential strategies for productivity and profits.

Arguably, James' most notable achievement includes his Plan To Win campaign, which endeavoured to turn around McDonald's failing profits by improving existing restaurants rather than opening new ones. His ideology was simple; to provide “faster, friendlier service; tastier food; a more appealing ambiance; better value; and sharper marketing". This decision increased McDonald's sales from $50.1 billion to $70.1 billion in just two years. After spending over four decades working for the fast food chain, James retired in 2012 to focus on his speaking career.

From Hewlett-Packard to Walgreens, James is a member of several influential boards. Named CEO of the Year by Chief Executive Magazine in 2009, this greatly inspiring businessman built his career from the ground up, an experience that shapes his speeches. As an after dinner speaker, audiences are enamoured by James' thrilling career, as he takes them on a journey across the decades of McDonalds.